Category: Reviews


Review: Bury the Living by Jodi McIsaac

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August 16, 2016

Bury the Living (The Revolutionary Series, #1)Bury the Living by Jodi McIsaac

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: NetGalley is a wonderful program where you can find books to read and review. This is one of the gems I’ve picked up from them.

This was a good book! It started a bit slow, but it included a bit of history of Ireland that I’m not schooled in. I’m sure those who are well-versed in their Irish history may find that part a bit boring. But it’s necessary for those here in America who didn’t get that history in their regular education. Meanwhile, you’re getting to know the main character and what is going on in her life, and how history has affected her.

I thought writing this review would be easy, it was such an exciting book I couldn’t put it down! But I’m finding it hard not to put spoilers in my review leaving it sounding pretty boring.

Modern day, Nora O’Reilly turns to her Catholic church when it seems all is lost, finds sisters of the flame who lead her to new adventures in 1923. Can she change history by saving the right people? And how can she do that?

This book kept me up reading, two nights in a row. I love time travel books. And the concepts of possible changes to timelines. This one keeps you thinking.

There is only one problem in this book as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t quite end. Though it doesn’t leave you on the cliffhanger, you know there’s more to read. I hope there’s a book two.

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Review: The New Guide to Knitting and Crochet by Marie Jane Cooper

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August 7, 2016

The New Guide to Knitting and CrochetThe New Guide to Knitting and Crochet by Marie Jane Cooper

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I did not read every word here. But there are a lot of patterns and advice on knitting and crocheting. Unfortunately. these are old fashioned patterns. You can tell by the titles of the patterns. Worst of all there are no pictures. I just don’t know how well the finished product is supposed to look without that reference. It might be fun to try.

Because of the frequent advice, I will not delete this book from my library as it may hold gems I need to be better at these crafts.

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Review: Bravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron

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Bravo and ElphieBravo and Elphie by Hagit R. Oron

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, what a delightful little book! It speaks to the shy one in all of us. Scared of something? Try to help someone else out of their fears and suddenly you are set free. This would have been a great book for my offspring when they were tiny and afraid.

Beyond the adorable illustrations, this gem offers plenty of conversation starters. Can elephants really climb up the slide steps? Would an elephant be friends with a rat? I remember a Mythbusters show that demonstrated how the big beasts seemed to shy away from mice. But it could just be that elephants care for their little friends of the plains and don’t want to hurt them. Who knows?

Of course we could talk about the main message of being afraid and thinking of ways to help others get over their fears. Even as adults, don’t we need that reminder every now and then?

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Review: The Ultimate AirFryer Cookbook: Over 50 Quick & Easy Low Fat Recipes for Every Day and Every Family by Paul Wilson

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The Ultimate AirFryer Cookbook: Over 50 Quick & Easy Low Fat Recipes for Every Day and Every FamilyThe Ultimate AirFryer Cookbook: Over 50 Quick & Easy Low Fat Recipes for Every Day and Every Family by Paul Wilson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay, I didn’t do much more than thumb through what this book has to offer. I didn’t know what air frying was before this book came along. It sounded interested, healthy. So when it appeared on the carousel on my new RCA 10 Viking Pro (yep, I got a new toy!) I thought I’d see what it was all about. The recipes seem so yummy and healthy. But how does one ‘Air Fry”? I couldn’t imagine. So I looked it up. And now I have another toy to research for my gift card goals. Um, I’ve been doing mPoints Plus and other surveys to earn money or gift cards. So here is the web page I found for my wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no…

Once I get this I will try some of these recipes and re-evaluate this book. Can’t wait!

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Review: Summer Court: A Paranormal Romance by SM Reine

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Summer Court: A Paranormal Romance (The Tarot Witches Book 4)Summer Court: A Paranormal Romance by SM Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, Sara Reine has written another winner. Not for kids, this one. But with all the fast moving adventure of the rest of her books.

I need to take a time out to disclose that this book was given to me for an honest review.

No one could say that Ms. Reine is bigoted in any way. She employs characters from across the gamut of known and unknown beings. In this case, the main character, Samita Madin, is a paraplegic who is pregnant. And if I interpret it right, she is Indian. She is in love (in lust?) with Slater Reinhard who is a recently turned werewolf. That in itself is a story, but Sara placed this one about the time of the world ending. If Samita didn’t have enough against her, she has received a tarot card. Yeah, in this series that is what certain witches receive and it sets a course for them whether they accept it or not. In this case, Death is the card. Could her life get any worse?

The problems I had with the book are not due to the author. I found I had to reread a lot of parts of the story because I sometimes got lost. Anyone else have this problem in the summer? The days last so long so my reading time is later than usual. I’m usually more tired and my ADD is at its highest. So ‘shiny things’ distract me from my reading.

It is disappointing to see my reading goal so far from being hit. I am about 17 books behind. Yikes! But I love summer! So I will try to find some short books to catch up.

Anway, if you have started reading SM Reine from Six Moon Summer (Seasons of the Moon #1) on you will be happy to enter back into her world. Just remember, though, this is a book for adults, there are a few erotic scenes if that is not your thing. But they don’t distract from the story so, speed past and keep enjoying the rest of the story.

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Review: Freedom: My Book of Firsts by Jaycee Dugard

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August 1, 2016

Freedom: My Book of FirstsFreedom: My Book of Firsts by Jaycee Dugard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don’t do this often. But when Jaycee was on her book tour on the talk shows I knew I wanted to read her new book. I like reading inspiring books about real people.

Jaycee Dugard has been through hell and back. But she is always upbeat and seems to have her head screwed on right. Her book is about her life since getting home. Whereas her first book was more about the kidnapping and how it affected her, this one is about FREEDOM. It makes the reader see things from a new light. The things we take for granted are things she gets excited about, like her horses and dogs and cats.

I was lucky to be able to pick up the Audible version as I had a credit screaming at me to get something. So I got to hear the book in her voice. I think that helped a lot. You could hear the emotions along the way.

My biggest problem with the book/audio combo is that you end up not seeing the pictures. Had I not messed up and accidently moved the progress bar ahead, I wouldn’t have even known about that. I did love seeing the joy of Jaycee in these pictures. I don’t know how I would fix that. Maybe put all the pictures in the back of the book on the Kindle version? Maybe put links to the names mentioned to tap on to go to the picture and back? I don’t know. I’m just glad I had the chance to see these. And I’m glad I had the chance to read this sweet book. I wish Jaycee and her daughters and mother all the happiness this world has to offer!

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Review: The Other Einstein: A Novel by Marie Benedict

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July 21, 2016

The Other Einstein: A NovelThe Other Einstein: A Novel by Marie Benedict

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclosure: I was given this ARC/Uncorrected Proof (?) from NetGalley.com for an honest review.

Sorry to be getting so far behind on my reviews/reading. Summer. That’s all I can say. I am still knitting and crocheting hats for Hugger Hats (for the homeless or cancer victims) and then there is a lot of going outside and gardening, walking, traveling to Bend, and fighting flares take up a lot of my time now. Reading this book seemed to happen after the sun went down (9:30-10) when I was dog tired. Often getting to bed after midnight and being awakened at dawn (4:30-5) made for a sleep deficit. Warm days call for siesta! Good thing I am taking Spanish (and German) on Doulingo so I could come up with a word meant to take care of people in the summer heat.

As for this book… This was a good book. I appreciate the author going into the research to present to us a brilliant woman who was left behind to be yet another Hausfrau. We need many more books like this as history has only centered on HIS story. It is time to see Her story. Did you know that Albert took full credit for a theory SHE came up with and had the math skills he didn’t have to prove it all? This is a book that will make you mad. But it will give you an idea of what has happened in millions of marriages throughout his-story. Because of biology, women, brilliant or no, are forced to take care of home and children while the man gets all the glory and mental stimulation while she washes dishes and cleans poopy diapers. Why is that? What could have happened had all those chores be shared while all the brains got all the education and stimulation they needed, male or female?

The story was rich. But I felt it lacked a bit in energy. Not sure how I can explain that drag. And maybe it isn’t the author but rather… see my apology paragraph. On the other hand, maybe the edited version are better done. I must admit that the beginning of each chapter with a letter–was it a formatting issue? It was very distracting, especially for a text-to-speech reader like me. But then maybe those who are able to read without the TTS don’t even see that? And maybe all that has been fixed by now.

Those issues aside, I think this is another book that should be required reading for everyone. Except I always hate books that were required reading. SO PLEASE READ THIS BOOK. See if you don’t find enlightenment!

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Review: Far from Home by Lorelie Brown

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July 10, 2016

Far from Home (Belladonna Ink, #1)Far from Home by Lorelie Brown

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclosure: I was given this copy for an honest review by NetGalley.com.

Most of this story was interesting or better. I just couldn’t care for the main character and her anorexia. Sure, I know the disorder exists and causes pain to those who have it and their loved ones. But for some reason, it doesn’t come across for me as a redeeming quality for the main character. Maybe redeeming is the wrong word. I know we need to write characters that are flawed those they need to be rescued from or cured of. And maybe this was the flaw the author thought would endear us all to her. But I found it took away from the story rather than adding a sympathetic quality.

Maybe the story should have told from the Indian woman’s point of view? She looking to marry so as to stay in the USA. But she seems to have no flaws what so ever. She even has a most loving family, a super career. But other than that we know very little of why she longs to stay in America so badly that she is willing to marry someone she doesn’t know, especially a female.

Those points aside, I like the characters as they fall in love and struggle through their new relationship. The erotic scenes are hot but not overdone, they fit in the story quite well.

I always like to read stories that come alive in places I have lived. Orange County, California is one of my favorite places to live. The trouble with it is there are far too many people and it is far too expensive to live there. Beaches were what I lived for when I was there. I miss beaches. I must give my thanks to the author for letting her characters walk the sand and see the surf.

Even though this wasn’t a favorite story for me, I still look forward to reading more from the author and hopefully about this couple. Maybe that was why their histories weren’t told in depth? There’s more to come? I hope so.

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Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

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July 7, 2016

Small Great ThingsSmall Great Things by Jodi Picoult

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! Can I give this book 10 stars instead of 5? This was a brave and wonderful story! I need to preface all this with the fact that I got this uncorrected proof from NetGalley.com. And GoodReads is having a giveaway right now. Good luck! I hope you are able to get this one way or another.

I haven’t read anything by Jodi Picoult that I know of. I have heard of her but just never got around to one of her books. Now I am a big fan! On a day when this happened once again (http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/07/us/falc…) we need a discussion of how it would be to walk in someone else’s shoes. If you are white, do you understand, truly, what it is to be black? If you are black or other non-white, do you understand your counter-point?

This book doesn’t just say that we should all get along. Ms. Picoult tries to get us into the heads of her characters both the black nurse and the white neo-nazi new father. When he bans the nurse from the post delivery room, little does he know that the person he bans could be the only one that could save his child’s life. No one is completely innocent, except the baby. But Jodi takes us into their heads and lives to help the reader learn more about these lives. She, also, takes us into the head of the defense attorney. Through these points of view we learn about their histories and families.

The in-depth research shows all through this story. Not in a boring, author knows more than reader sort of way, but enhancing the characters and story bringing the reader into a deeper understanding of love and bigotry. If you think you are without a bias of some kind, this book will open your eyes to areas you may need to work on.

If it weren’t for the idea that I hated to read required books in high school, I would love this book to be required reading for all human beings. That is how good it is. AND if this was the uncorrected proof, how would one know the corrected proof? I saw no problems. But that may be why I am not an editor. I do get deeply into the story and tend not to see mistakes. Even in the stories I write. Take a look at my reviews, you’ll see tons of mistakes, I’m sure!

Anyway, if you haven’t figure this out: I LOVED this book!!!! Try it and see if there aren’t gems just for you to collect!

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Review: Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards

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June 30, 2016

Dead in the Water (Gemini, #1)Dead in the Water by Hailey Edwards

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m four books behind! It is summer. Therefore I have more good days than bad. Therefore I’m outside a lot more. But therefore I’m overdoing it and having to stay inside recuperating. I claim those as my excuses for not being caught up on my reading. Oh, and I’m still knitting and crocheting quite a few hats for the Hugger Hats group. But wait a minute! I listen to books while I knit and crochet. How would that slow me down? Oh, yeah, and then a couple binge watchings. Anyone finish with the Orange is the New Black new season? Seems like there was one more but I can’t remember what it was. Those are my excuses and I’m sticking to them!

Add to that the last book I read was a courtroom (detective/spy) drama kind of book, I wasn’t ready for this one. Even though it’s a fantasy, it’s still more of a crime novel as the main character is doing investigations. The only differences: they’re using the Fae instead of humans. I never really connected with the main character. Even halfway and I couldn’t decide what her name was or even if she was male or female. I’m seeing a lot of good reviews for this book so I’m going to stick with my excuses above and ask you to read the book yourself and see how you feel about it. As for me, this wasn’t even near a Sara Reine fantasy even though she is the one who recommended it. I don’t see myself looking into book 2 of the series or even the rest of this author’s books. Yet, who knows? Maybe in the dead of winter Dead in the Water might come back to me and I’ll fall deeply in love with it. Oh, did I mention: Cliff-hanger? 😦

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